Toilet tank flush valves

ABSTRACT

A flat sheet of flexible material of uniform thickness provided adjacent its forward extremity with an opening adapted to fit about the overflow pipe of a conventional toilet tank and provided adjacent its rear extremity with a circular disc adapted to fold down upon the flush valve fitting of the tank. An openbottomed float bulb is formed on the lower surface of the disc so as to enter and close the fitting to retain water in the tank. When the disc is lifted, the bulb will buoyantly arise in the tank to open the fitting to flush the tank.

O Umted States Patent [151 3,702,012

Bennett [4 1 Nov. 7, 1972 [54] TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVES 3,154,794 11/1964 Antunez, Jr. ..4/57 P Inventor: Samuel M. Bennett Central Connealy y ig Colo T Gross .7 P

[22] Filed: Ju y 1971 Primary Examinerl-lenry K. Artis No: Att0rney-R. Galbreath [57] ABSTRACT Cell flag/:73: A flat sheet of flexible material of uniform thickness provided adjacent its forward extremity with an p [58] Field of Search ..4/57, 57 P, 56, 55, 52, 58 ing adapted to fit about the overflow pipe of a com/em tional toilet tank and provided adjacent its rear ex- [56] References cued tremity with a circular disc adapted to fold down upon UNITED STATES PATENTS the flush valve fitting of the tank. An open-bottomed float bulb is formed on the lower surface of the disc so 2,598,967 6/1952 Bennett ..4/57 P as to enter and close the fitting to retain water in the 2,629,879 3/1953 Bennett ...4/57 P tank w the disc is lifted the bulb will buoyamly g arise in the tank to open the fitting to flush the tank. 2:830:302 4/1958 Nelson et al ..4/57 P 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVES Applicant is the patentee of U.S. Pat. No. 2,598,967 (June 3, 1952) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,405 (Oct. 23, 1956) upon devices of similar classification to the present invention.

This invention relates to an improved toilet tank flush valve of the type illustrated and described in applicants prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,598,967, which issued June 3, 1952, and 2,767,405, which issued Oct. 23, 1956. Briefly, the prior-toilet tank flush valves disclosed in the above patents each embody a flexible, cylindrical overflow pipe collar, which is adapted to be frictionally fitted about the overflow pipes of conventional toilet tanks; a cross bar is unitarily formed on each collar and extends oppositely outward therefrom; and two parallel, elongated, spaced-apart, flexible hinge arms of fixed length extend forwardly from the opposite extremities of the cross bar to tangentally join and support a float element which, when the tank is emptied, descends to close the conventional flush valve fitting of the tank to allow the tank to be refilled.

The installation of a premolded or preformed toilet tank flush valve of the above described type has not been universally satisfactory due to the fact that the overflow pipes of various makes of toilets differ in diameter and to the fact that the spacings between the overflow pipes and the flush valve fittings of some standard tanks may also vary so that proper, leak-proof permanent installations cannot be attained in all cases.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a single preformed structure for toilet tank flush valves, of the above type which will without structural change accommodate the above variations encountered in conventional toilet tanks.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing: I

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved toilet tank flush valve of this invention illustrating it as it would appear when in place upon a conventional overflow pipe of relatively small diameter;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2- 2, FIG. 1, showing the position of the overflow pipe in broken line;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the improved toilet tank flush valve of FIG. 1 showing it as it would appear when in place upon an overflow pipe of relatively large diameter; and

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the lower portion of a conventional toilet flush tank, illustrating the closed position of this improved flush valve in solid line, and the open position thereof in broken line.

In FIG. 4, a conventional toilet flush tank is illustrated in cross section at 10, containing the usual flared flush valve fitting 11 and the usual overflow pipe 12 arising from an elbow 13, formed on the fitting 11. This invention is designed to be mounted about the overflow pipe 12 and to resiliently close the flush valve fitting l1.

The improved toilet flush valve of this invention consists principally of a relatively thin flat sheet of rubber, or similar flexible elastic material of uniform thickness throughout its entire area. The sheet is precut, stamped or molded to initially conform to the pattern shown in FIG. 1 so as to form a flat circular disc 14 adjacent the rear extremity of the sheet.

Two elongated leg portions 18 extend tangentially forward in spaced-apart relation from the disc 14 and join two short end portions 19 which extend inwardly toward each other to join two connecting link portions 20 which extend rearwardly from the end portions 19 in substantially parallel relation to the forward extremities of the leg portions 18. I

. An overflow pipe enclosure, consisting of a forward arcuate gripping portion 21 and a rear arcuate gripping portion 22, is integrally joined to, and separates, the rear extremities of the connecting link portions 20 to outline a circular pipe opening 23.

A cup-shaped float bulb 15 having a bottom drain opening 24 is integrally formed on the bottom of the disc 14, substantially as shown in applicants prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,406, so that it may extend into the flush valve fitting of the toilet tank.

The rear portion of the disc 14 is provided with attachment means, such as a perforation 16, through which a flexible tension element, such as a nylon cord 17 may be attached as shown in FIG. 4.

Excellent results have been attained if the continuous rubber sheet from which the disc 14, the leg portions 18, the end portions 19, the connecting link portions 20 and the gripping portions 21 and 22 are formed, has a uniform thickness of approximately Vs inch. It is also preferred that the leg portions 18 and the connecting link portions 20 have a lateral width of approximately 9/16 inch and that the arcuate gripping portions 21 and 22 have a lateral width of less than the thickness of the rubber sheet, for instance 3/32 inch, so that the pipe opening 23 will be partially surrounded by the exceedingly thin, narrow arcuate gripping portions 21 and 22.

To install the above described improved toilet flush valve in a selected conventional toilet tank, it is only necessary to slide the pipe opening 23 downwardly on the overflow pipe 12, until the float bulb 15 rests in and on the valve fitting 11, as shown in solid line in FIG. 4, and to attach the nylon cord 17 to the conventional flush lever of the tank so that when the flush lever is operated, it will lift the float bulb to a buoyant position as shown in broken line in FIG. 4.

It will be noted that when the pipe openings 23 are fitted over larger overflow pipes, the lengths of the gripping portions 21 and 22 automatically and freely stretch to readily and perfectly fit to the circumference of the larger pipes without change in or disturbance of the assembly of elements.

The accommodation of various diameters of overflow pipes was difficult in the structures shown in applicants said prior patents due to the objectionable heavy bulbs, collars and cross bars positioned adjacent the overflow pipe openings. These objectionable features have been completely removed in the above described improved structure of the present invention.

While selected forms of the invention have been above described, it is understood that mechanical variations and detail substitutions may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toilet tank flush valve of the type having a normally flat sheet of flexible material of substantially uniform thickness over its entire area, the sheet being shaped to provide a floatable, liftable disc which is adaptable to be positioned over the flush valve fitting of a conventional toilet tank, means for operatively connecting said disc to the overflow pipe of said tank comprising:

a. a first arcuate elastic gripping portion formed in said sheet;

b. a second arcuate elastic gripping 'portion, of similar radiusto the first portion, formed in said sheet;

c. joining means connecting the extremities of the first arcuate portion to the extremities of the second arcuate portion so as to form a circular enclosure adapted to surround and grip said overflow pipe; and

d. means flexibly connecting said enclosure to the floatableliftable disc, said connecting means comprising an elongated leg portion formed in said sheet and extending forwardly from each side of said disc the leg portions terminating forwardly of, and on each side of said circular enclosure; and

means interconnecting the forward extremities of said leg portions to opposite sides of said enclosure.

2. A toilet flush valve as described in claim 1 in which the means connecting the forward extremities of said leg portions to opposite sides of said enclosure comprise:

a. an end portion unitarily formed .on the forward extremity of each leg portion, said end portions extending inwardly toward each other at each side of and forwardly of said enclosure; and

b. means interconnecting the inwardly extending extremities of said end portions to said enclosure.

3. A toilet flush valve as described in claim 2 in which the means for interconnecting the inwardly extending extremities of said end portions to said enclosure comprise:

a. a connecting link portion integrally formed on the inner extremity of each end portion and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relation to the adjacent leg portion; and

b. means interconnecting the rear extremities of said connecting'link portions to opposite sides of said enclosure.

4. A toilet valve as described in claim 3 in which:

a. said first and second arcuate gripping portions have a less width and less tensional lengthwise resistance than said connecting link portions. 

1. In a toilet tank flush valve of the type having a normally flat sheet of flexible material of substantially uniform thickness over its entire area, the sheet being shaped to provide a floatable, liftable disc which is adaptable to be positioned over the flush valve fitting of a conventional toilet tank, means for operatively connecting said disc to the overflow pipe of said tank comprising: a. a first arcuate elastic gripping portion formed in said sheet; b. a second arcuate elastic gripping portion, of similar radius to the first portion, formed in said sheet; c. joining means connecting the extremities of the first arcuate portion to the extremities of the second arcuate portion so as to form a circular enclosure adapted to surround and grip said overflow pipe; and d. means flexibly connecting said enclosure to the floatable liftable disc, said connecting means comprising an elongated leg portion formed in said sheet and extending forwardly from each side of said disc the leg portions terminating forwardly of, and on each side of said circular enclosure; and means interconnecting the forward extremities of said leg portions to opposite sides of said enclosure.
 2. A toilet flush valve as described in claim 1 in which the means connecting the forward extremities of said leg portions to opposite sides of said enclosure comprise: a. an end portion unitarily formed on the forward extremity of each leg portion, said end portions extending inwardly toward each other at each side of and forwardly of said enclosure; and b. means interconnecting the inwardly extending extremities of said end portions to said enclosure.
 3. A toilet flush valve as described in claim 2 in which the means for interconnecting the inwardly extending extremities of said end portions to said enclosure comprise: a. a connecting link portion integrally formed on the inner extremity of each end portion and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relation to the adjacent leg portion; and b. means interconnecting the rear extremities of said connecting link portions to opposite sides of said enclosure.
 4. A toilet valve as described in claim 3 in which: a. said first and second arcuate gripping portions have a less width and less tensional lengthwise resistance than said connecting link portions. 